Serena Williams Won the Australian Open While 8 Weeks Pregnant

by
LEAH GROTH March 17, 2018

Leah Groth

Leah Groth is a writer and editor currently based in Philadelphia. She has covered topics such as entertainment, parenting, health & wellness for xoJane, Babble, Radar, Fit Pregnancy, Mommy Nearest, Living Healthy and PopDust.

Some women spend their first trimester of pregnancy taking naps and feeling nauseous — but not Serena Williams. The tennis superstar announced her pregnancy this week, sending the internet into a frenzy over the fact that she already had a bun in the oven when she won the 2017 Australian Open on January 28.

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The 35-year-old, who is engaged to Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian, dropped her baby bombshell on Snapchat Wednesday afternoon by sharing a photo of her and her bump in a yellow bathing suit with the words “20 weeks” splashed across it.

If you do the math, this means that when Serena slayed at the 2017 Australian Open — and whipped her sister Venus’ butt — she was already eight weeks (or two months) pregnant. Now, who else in the history of professional sports has accomplished such a feat?

In the months since her Grand Slam win, Serena has pulled out of several competitions, including Indian Wells, Miami and Madrid. She claimed to be having trouble with her knees — but it’s likely she was flubbing until it was safe to share her baby news with the world. Serena’s publicist announced to Reuters that the tennis champ will be taking the remainder of the 2017 season off and will return next year.

The internet has understandably gone wild over Williams’ first-trimester triumph. Most of us have a hard time making it onto the treadmill when we aren’t with child and can’t possibly imagine competing in a professional sports competition during the most grueling trimester of pregnancy.

While a few women claim they have higher energy during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy, most maintain that these are the most trying weeks because of morning sickness and exhaustion. Clearly, Serena Williams is an anomaly — not to mention incredibly ripped and the highest-paid female athlete in the world — but she likely adapted her diet and training program to fit the needs of her pregnancy.

serena williams: *wins a grand slam while pregnant me: *doesn't go to the gym bc food baby is too large

According to the Cleveland Clinic, foods that are high in iron (think red meat, lentils and enriched cereals) and protein (chicken, eggs and Greek yogurt) are perfect for boosting energy during pregnancy. And while channel surfing on the couch might sound more appealing than exercise, breaking a sweat while fatigued actually increases energy levels.

To all the pregnant women out there who are struggling to get out of bed and need a little extra motivation: Just think about Serena Williams slamming that tennis ball across the court.

What
Do YOU Think?

Are you surprised by Serena Williams’ pregnancy announcement? Is it impressive that she won the Australian Open during her first trimester?